2006年VOA标准英语-Hungarians Vote in Final Round of Election

By Stefan Bos
Budapest
23 April 2006

Hungarians have cast ballots² in a run-off parliamentary election that is expected to deliver a small majority to the socialist³-liberal governing coalition⁴.

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Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany of the Hungarian Socialist Party MSZP, addresses a rally in Tokaj, east of Budapest 
  

Polls suggest Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany's Hungarian Socialist Party and its liberal ally, the Alliance of Free Democrats⁵, are likely to win the second-round ballot¹, but with a slim majority.

It would be the first time a Hungarian government has been elected for a consecutive⁶ term since the collapse⁷ of communism in 1989. Mr. Gyurcsany's main rival is 42-year-old Viktor Orban, the right-leaning former prime minister of the Fidesz party.

While the ruling coalition embraces globalization and foreign investments, Fidesz campaigns against what it calls "wild capitalism⁸." Fidesz-leader Orban has said he would re-nationalize key companies, including the Budapest airport, which has been sold to British Airports Authority.

And he warns voters in rural regions that re-electing the Socialist-led government will mean more unemployment and social upheaval⁹. "Thousands of people are already losing their jobs and many more will lose their work places," he says. He adds that "the prices of gas, electricity and medicines will increase" because of lack of regulations, and warns that "the huge budget deficit¹⁰" will make Socialists¹¹ "sell everything they can."

However, Fidesz has failed to win the support of a smaller, right-wing party and potential kingmaker, the Hungarian Democratic Forum¹².

Prime Minister Gyurcsany, a 44-year-old, self-made millionaire, says globalization, including renewed cooperation with Russia, benefits Hungary.

In the first round of voting two weeks ago, the government coalition won 113 seats. The center-right opposition¹³ won 97. Another 174 seats in the unicameral parliament are to be decided¹⁴ in Sunday's voting.

The election campaign in Hungary has been bitter. This teacher says politics has entered people's personal lives. "People attack each other for the way they voted and their beliefs," she said.

Whoever wins Sunday's election will have to deal with decreasing the country's budget deficit. It reached over six percent of gross domestic product in 2005, and threatens to delay the planned adoption¹⁵ of the euro currency in 2010. First official results are expected late Sunday.

1 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

2 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

4 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

5 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

7 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

8 capitalism   

n.资本主义

参考例句：

• The essence of his argument is that capitalism cannot succeed.他的论点的核心是资本主义不能成功。
• Capitalism began to develop in Russia in the 19th century.十九世纪资本主义在俄国开始发展。

9 upheaval   

n.胀起，(地壳)的隆起；剧变，动乱

参考例句：

• It was faced with the greatest social upheaval since World War Ⅱ.它面临第二次世界大战以来最大的社会动乱。
• The country has been thrown into an upheaval.这个国家已经陷入动乱之中。

10 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

11 socialists   

社会主义者( socialist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The socialists saw themselves as true heirs of the Enlightenment. 社会主义者认为自己是启蒙运动的真正继承者。
• The Socialists junked dogma when they came to office in 1982. 社会党人1982年上台执政后，就把其政治信条弃之不顾。

12 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

13 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

14 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

15 adoption   

n.采用，采纳，通过；收养

参考例句：

• An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。
• The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。